A Stolen Rose
by thatblue
Summary: A quiet day on the beach turns into a mystery, and a struggle to save the one he loves.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Doctor Who. I found I like writing the ninth Doctor, so there will probably be more tales to come. But first this one. Hope you enjoy.**

He had promised her a beach, apparently she wanted a relaxing day after almost dying several times this last week, but he hadn't promised her that he would swim.

And he wasn't going to, no matter how much she batted those eyes, and gave him that face. The one that made him realize that he was really just a love sick teenage boy in the body of a 900 year old Lord of Time.

He was already wearing swim shorts, which was proof enough to him that he had it bad. She had complained, saying that if he had worn his normal clothes it would be embarrassing. That had never bothered him before, he liked his style, but suddenly when she said it, it became a crime.

"We came here to swim, it's no fun if you just sit there looking important," she said, splashing water near him, but not on him.

He wanted to tell her that he was important, so he could look like nothing else. Just like she was beautiful, and could be nothing but. He kept that to himself though.

"No, Rose, I'm fine here," he told her, wishing he had brought a book. If he took his time it could provide a little entertainment. And it would stop him from staring at her.

The beach was almost empty, but that was because he had taken them during the off season. She had vowed if there was any running she was going to do something he wasn't going to like.

Since that seemed to be a long list when he thought about it, he decided it was in his best interest to listen.

"Doctor," it wasn't quite a pout, but it was close enough.

"Rose," he told her, sitting up a little more, "Go, have fun or we are leaving."

He hadn't meant it to come out anything but as a tease, but it was gruff, and her face showed it. Her smile faltered, not that she didn't fix it quickly.

"Fine," she muttered, moving away from the beach. "Just sit there and be boring."

He sighed. He was a Time Lord, he was capable of so many things, but he wasn't capable of hurting a certain Rose Tyler and not fixing it. Even if he hadn't done it on purpose.

He stood, shedding his shirt and dropping it on the beach next to their towels. He would swim if that would bring back her real smile, the one that kept him floating along in the universe. That kept him fighting.

She had her back turned, and though he suspected she heard him come up she didn't turn.

"Rose," he started. He swore he had never apologized so much since he met her. And she never asked, he just felt like he had to do it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be like that."

She still didn't turn. That was odd, she usually had already forgiven him even before he had said the words. Why was she being so stubborn now?

"Come on, Rose," he touched her arm, treading water. "I said I was sorry. Let's have some fun."

It wasn't until he said it that he realized it was the kind of comment that made her smirk. But still nothing. "Rose?"

It took another non-response before he grabbed for her, turning her in the water. "What is it Rose? What's wrong? Talk to me?"

She was blinking at him, eyes wide and she looked confused. He reached up brushing damp hair away from her face, checking for anything that might be causing this. "Talk to me, please."

At last she took a deep breath, "Doctor," she smiled. "Thanks for coming in."

He looked her over still, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, all there now, and smiled wider, "Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

"I called for you, apologized and you didn't answer," he told her, as she pulled away from his searching hands.

"Sorry, must have been lost in thought," she explained. "Are you going to fuss, or we going to swim?"

He couldn't help the smile, "Well you convinced me to come in, so I guess we are going to swim."

They played every water game he could think of that used only two people, well maybe not every, but the ones that involved clothing staying on, and it was getting late when he gave her a smile.

"Time we should head in," he told her, "You must be starved. Ocean always makes me want some chips, what do you say?"

"I say yes, oh and ice cream," she added.

He chuckled, "Come on then."

He turned, so she didn't see the smile that broke out over his face. Aside from the little scare earlier that turned out to be nothing this had been a really good day. They had touched, something he enjoyed but it had been innocent. All for the games of course, and now the sun was close to setting.

He didn't do this sort of thing, this falling for a human girl with big brown eyes, but here he was doing it. And he thought it was fantastic.

He made it to shore, it was only then he realized that he hadn't heard her splash out behind him. Turning back, expecting her to be lingering, but she wasn't there.

"Rose?" He called out, searching around. She must just be out of sight. "Rose? Where are you?"

There was nothing, he could see the waves rolling in, but the there was no sign of her. It had only been a minute, where was she. "Rose? This isn't funny, Rose Tyler."

If this was a joke there would be hell to pay, his hearts were beating so fiercely he thought they might escape his chest but she still didn't turn up. Enough time wasted he decided, rushing back into the water.

He dove in, and kept his eyes open despite the burn. Where was she? How had he lost her, she was just right there? She was fine…unless there was something going on earlier. And he had just left her there…what an idiot.

He was using his bypass now, but he kept pushing on, swimming down and down, but he saw nothing. This was an ocean, she was one small human, and she could be anywhere.

He kept on though, until he couldn't go any farther, and he broke the surface. His breathing kicked back in, coming out stuttering until it resumed a rhythm.

He was far from the shore, but he hoped to see her there. She wasn't.

He swallowed hard, tears running down his already wet face. She had to be okay, he couldn't lose her. He loved her. She didn't even know. He had to find her.


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't know that this turned our very well, but here it is.**

Rose woke slowly, and when she opened her eyes she was looking up at a white ceiling. There were windows scattered on the roof, but through those windows she could see fish swimming and she frowned.

Sitting up she scooted to the edge of the very large bed that she had been laying in and she looked around the room. There wasn't much else in there, aside from a small desk in the corner, and a bowl that looked to be filled with water on it. She rose from the bed, looking down to see that she was in a white gown, which looked fancy but plain at the same time.

She had on a thick necklace, but when she tried to lift it she found that it appeared to be fused to her skin, and tugging in it did nothing but cause her pain. This was all a bit weird, and she couldn't remember what had happened.

The last thing she remembered was running with her hand in that of a mans, who was wearing a leather jacket. She couldn't think of his name, or anything that had happened between then and now, but she knew that she must have hit her head.

She wondered briefly if she hadn't woken at all, and if this was just a dream, but she felt pain, twisting her skin in a pinch. Still this didn't make any sense to her at all, and she felt an absence in her heart that she couldn't think of what used to fill the spot.

Tears were running down her face, and she wiped at them knowing that whatever was causing that empty spot was causing these tears, but she couldn't remember either.

She walked to the only door in the room, opening it onto what appeared to be the ocean, but there was no way that could be, right? She walked through what felt like a gel, thin and cool and then she was in water, only it wasn't soaking through to her skin. She tried to breath, choking for a moment, and then there was air.

She couldn't swim, couldn't move, but she realized looking up that all she could see was water, and somewhere, too far to reach and barely able to be seen, she could see light.

She turned, but she it felt as if she was chained to a spot near the door, and she panicked. She didn't know where she was, well if she was in the ocean she didn't understand how, and how was she breathing.

Her mind was filled with a large blank space, and panic was wining this battle. She was flailing, tugging hard on that necklace, which she somehow thought was what was keeping her there, though she could explain the rationale.

She felt arms wrap around her, and words she suspected were meant to be soothing but she didn't understand them, and she fought against the grip. Trying to turn and see what had captured her.

DW

The Doctor was sitting in the console room, and he was trying to use the TARDIS to track down Rose. But it was as if she was simply gone, no energy trace, no sign of her. Had she been transmitted off the planet, had she drowned in the water?

He had stopped crying, but only because he had made himself, and he had dried off and was now only wearing a towel. He didn't need to put on new clothes, he had plans, and they didn't involve giving up on his Rose.

If she was really gone, and he couldn't actually think about that right now, he would have to bring back her body. It was the least he could do for her mother, while he may not care for Jackie, but Rose was her only child.

But Rose had to be alive, he didn't know how, but he wouldn't give up on her. He left the room, going to search out his scuba gear. He would find his sonar equipment as well, and he would search the entire ocean if there was a chance that she was there.

And if she wasn't, then he would search every planet around here, and then the universe, because Rose deserved that. She deserved to be found, even if she was…well it didn't matter because some how she was going to be okay. Because if she wasn't, he didn't understand how he could go on.

The TARDIS was humming in the background, protesting only a little when he started slamming cabinets to find his wet suit, but he couldn't stop. If she was really gone, then time wasn't important, not really, but if she was out there somewhere, somehow, then time was too important.

"Where is it," he asked the old girl, gently rubbing her wall by way of apology. He received a mental image of another room, and he quickly walked to that room.

If she was in that ocean he would find her, he had the best equipment in the universe, and though it would take time, it would do its job. He would start at the shore, and work his way out. The sonar could cover great distances at once, and he programmed it to recognize and send a separate signal if it bounced off of Rose.

He was pulling on the wet suit, checking the air tank, which would give him an unlimited supply because it recycled its own air. He wouldn't have to leave the ocean until he was ready to, with this equipment, and he wouldn't be ready to until he was sure that she wasn't there. And if she was, he would get her back.


	3. Chapter 3

Rose finally turned herself around, and she saw what she could only describe as a mermaid, or rather merman, and he was flapping his fin, and his strong hands were touching her shoulders. He was speaking, but she didn't understand. The TARDIS was supposed to be in her head, why wasn't it translating. Oh, she had questions for this merman.

He was pulling her along gently, and he pulled her to the door, and in through the gel. She watched his fin turn to legs and feet, and the bubble that seemed to erect itself around her in the water, vanished when she was back in the room.

He was talking, but she didn't understand, and he finally seemed to understand that she was lost. He reached for her necklace, and she started to move away but he hit a button on the side of it and all of the sudden the words were English.

"Hello," he smiled at her. "I am Diamond, I am the leader of this clan."

"What clan, where am I? What happened, where's the Doctor? Are you Mermaids?"

He rolled his eyes at the last questions, and mumbled something that sounded very much like 'stupid little humans', but when he made eye contact again, he smiled at her. "We are not mermaids, no, we are the species known as Trout," he told her, "Direct decedents of Earth fish."

"Trout?" Rose asked.

He was glaring again, so she stopped smiling. "Okay," he continued, acting as though she hadn't spoken, he motioned for her to follow him to the wall. He placed his hand on there, and she noticed that it was no longer webbed, and he closed his eyes. In moments there was a window where there had only been wall before.

Outside of the window she could see a city, large and colorful, and she could see other…Trout, swimming around and every couple of second there would be a flicker and the city would seem just a little different.

"Our civilization is made from psychic energy; the Trout are able to change their world just by thought. That necklace," he nodded towards her necklace, "Is able to only protect you, so you won't be able to do anything like this. It is meant to bind you here, and keep you from drowning before it is time, nothing more."

"Before it's time?" Rose asked, knowing that there were other parts to that sentence but they didn't seem to matter as much as that bit.

He continued on again, as though she hadn't spoken.

"Your friend, the man who interrupted us earlier, he is searching for you."

"Yes?" She was so glad to hear that. Knowing that Doctor was out here gave her hope. "Earlier."

Diamond looked at her like she should know what he was talking about, "You were touched, by one of our men. Unprotected," he nodded to the necklace again, which made her believe it was the protection he was speaking of, "Species are affected by the touch of the Trout, it has slightly hypnotic properties."

"Why am I here," she tried.

"You are here for the Festival of New Beginnings," he told her with a thin smile. "A time of change and a second chance for our people. To keep our Gods happy with us."

"Okay," she nodded. "What do I bring to that?"

"Is your friend going to be a problem for us?"

She didn't know how to answer that…was the Doctor going to stop them if they were doing something wrong? Yes. But that didn't seem like something these Trouts really needed to know.

"So he is," Diamond said, and once again closed his eyes. "He will be brought in, don't worry, we don't plan to harm him, it is only a female that we need for the festival. He will just be held until we are through."

"What do you need me for," she insisted, a feeling growing that it wasn't for anything good, but she was suddenly only worried about the Doctor.

"I think you need to sleep," Diamond told her. "Humans are so fragile, and we need you well."

He touched her cheek, and the world went dark again.

DW

He hadn't made it far, but far enough before the sonar started acting up. It would flash back something and then nothing and no matter how close he got to the possible object he couldn't see or feel anything. Which meant that either something was cloaked or the sonar was acting up.

He would have to leave, go back to the TARDIS to do a better scan, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to take that risk. He felt something touch his foot, and he looked down quickly. Probably just a fish, he grumbled inside his head, ignoring the feeling of something circling him. He couldn't see anything, and he was probably just worked up about losing Rose.

Something was touching the back of his knee now, and he spun, seeing nothing again. And his calf, he spun again. Something seemed to be messing with him, and he was no fairly certain that the trip to the TARDIS was worth it now, and he began to move back to the shore. He got a loud ping on the sonar and he looked straight ahead. Three faces suddenly appeared in front of him, and a hand was suddenly touching the tiny bit of skin that was exposed.

His head felt fuzzy and thick, and he knew that he was being pulled deeper and deeper into the depths of the ocean, but he couldn't fight back. He knew he should but there was no real motivation, all thoughts of self preservation blocked by what he knew had to be a drug. But the knowledge didn't mean that he could fight it.

It was a long time before his mind cleared and he was sitting in a white room, stripped of his wet suit, wearing borrowed clothes. All white, and he had something thick around his neck. He got to his legs, and was glad to find that they held him, and he walked over to the only door in the room. He opened it to reveal the ocean outside of his door, and he closed it again.

He was certain that this necklace thing would protect him, but he also imagined that it wouldn't let him get too far, and he didn't want to waste his energy fighting it. He could think just as well in here, he imagined.

He tried to remember the faces of those who had touched him, and it was a long while before the blurry images cleared. The Trout, his mind finally provided. He had only encountered their species once, and they had been very friendly. A society based on psychic energy, which he also imagined this necklace was depressing.

He walked over to the wall, and held his hand there, trying to create a window. He struggled with it for several minutes, it flickering in an out of existence before he finally managed to get a small one to stay.

"Impressive," he heard a voice behind him.

He had been concentrating so deeply that he hadn't heard the door open. The man entered, his fin turning to legs and feet, and he walked over to the Doctor with an air of importance. "Too strong for our little necklace I see," the man continued, settling himself beside the Doctor looking out the window.

"Where is Rose," the Doctor asked him.

"She is safe," the man replied. "You are in many of her thoughts," he told the Doctor. "She is fond of you, as you are of her, I see."

"I want to see her," the Doctor insisted.

"You can," the man smiled. "I am Diamond, leader of this clan. We are about to begin our Festival of New Beginnings."

The Doctor had never heard of that before, but he doubted anything good could come of it. Still, maybe they had saved Rose; he should really try to give them the benefit of the doubt.

"You saved her?"

"She will save us," Diamond told him. "She is necessary."

"She won't be harmed," the Doctor told him, firmly.

Diamond backed away a little. "She is necessary. She will be elevated, and she will have everlasting life in paradise."

"I want Rose," he demanded. "Bring her here, let me see her."

"You may see her when it is time," Diamond insisted, backing away. "Please calm down. We don't want to hurt you."

"No, you just want to sacrifice Rose," he argued, moving closer to Diamond.

"She will bring us new life, help our community. There is no higher honor, Doctor. Please calm."

"I won't calm down," he knew as soon as he said it what they were going to do, and he felt the tingle as the sleep drug was administered through his necklace. He stumbled to the bed, trying to avoid falling on the floor. "Please," he begged, as his eyes closed. "Give her back."


	4. Chapter 4

When Rose woke again, her mind was fuzzy. At least this time she could remember the Doctor, even if her mind was like a scattered puzzle. It had snapped back together the last time, gone one second, back the next. She rose from the bed, alone in the room again, and stretched, hoping that movement would encourage her mind to hurry up.

She didn't like the fog, didn't like knowing who the Doctor was, but being unable to explain _who_ he was. She knew that she missed him, that much was very evident, her heart beating out a rhythm of emptiness.

Diamond was nowhere to be found, but the window he had created was still there. She walked over to it and looked out, watching in silence, as the little town occasionally flashed and was different. Most of the time it was too little to tell, sometimes a color was changed.

Interesting, really, Rose thought. A whole existence formed and changed by thought, imagine what would happen if that worked for humans. Probably be dangerous, time needed to change things was probably for the best.

That sort of thing would only work well in a peaceful society, which they seemed to be if you looked at them from the outside. She just didn't understand why a peaceful society would kidnap her, and possibly the Doctor. Diamond had acted worried, right? It was then that the memories started to flood back in.

A grin filled her mind, not normal handsome, but the man who had stolen her heart. She wondered where he was right now, and hoped that he was safe. If he wasn't she didn't know what she would do, he had become her everything. She knew that she couldn't tell him that, he couldn't feel the same, but the heart makes its own decisions. Hers just happened to fall for the man with piercing blue eyes, and a Northern accent.

She heard the door slide open, and she turned, unsurprised to see Diamond to enter.

"Rose," he spoke softly, less sure of himself than before. Rose wondered why. Also, she didn't remember telling him her name, but she thought that if he was psychic that must be how he knew.

"Your friend, the Doctor, wants to see you," he mentioned, walking over to join her at the window. He looked out; she thought his face was one of concern.

She felt a sense of relief, if the Doctor was here, he would find a way to make this okay. That was what he did, even when all seemed lost, he came in and found an answer where there was none before.

"Can I see him," she asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

He looked down at her hand, saying nothing about it, but pulling away from her fingers. "At the ceremony, until then we can't risk it."

Rose was disappointed, and she felt a little worry creep back up. A ceremony? This ceremony, she had a feeling that it wasn't going to be anything good, at least for her, and she wanted to know more. It was time for Diamond to talk.

"What kind of ceremony is this? Tell me, what do you need me for?"

"We must have an innocent, one from the surface, to please our gods."

The hazards of being a female time traveler she supposed, but still, if she was correct about what they considered 'innocent' then she didn't fit into their standards.

"What do you mean innocent?"

She wasn't sure but she thought that his cheeks had gone a little red. Men…but maybe she had just found a loophole.

"One who hasn't been with a male," he stated, looking away from her.

"Well, that isn't me then, I'm afraid."

She didn't imagine when she was sleeping with Mickey that it would be something that would save her life. This made her feel a little better about the low quality of the act itself.

"But you aren't married," he protested.

Apparently it was that kind of society, well, she hated to let him know but that wasn't how it was everywhere. To be fair she had loved Mickey.

"It doesn't work like that where I am from," she told him. This wasn't exactly a conversation she wanted to be having, but at least the Doctor wasn't around right now. She didn't think that she would be able to have this discussion in front of him, at least not without placing him into a mental image she fought hard to block.

Diamond didn't look happy, but she didn't blame him. The ceremony had to be closing in, and she had just told him that they didn't have a sacrifice. She didn't have to be a genius to recognize why they wanted her there.

"So can I see the Doctor, I'm sure we would like to be going."

"No," he said, the first time he had raised his voice with her. She didn't step back, but she closed her mouth. Probably best to see what he had to say before she ran her mouth. "This…I must talk to the Elders."

"Go then," Rose shooed him away. Him talking to the Elders wasn't going to make her an 'innocent' again.

He nodded, as though he was obeying her, and slipped out the door. Before it closed she could see his legs turn back into a fin and she watched him swim.

She looked down, but couldn't see the necklace. Well, that could wait until she found the Doctor, for now she had to get to him. She didn't know how this was all going to go, but this seemed like a good time to escape. He didn't seem like he was just going to let her go, no matter how little she fit their requirements.

She left the room, slipping out into the water, but didn't panic as the bubble erected itself around her body. So quickly she didn't even get a drop on her dress.

She tried to swim away, but found that she was still attached to the building as she had been before. Well, that wouldn't do, and she closed her eyes. If they could use psychic power, then maybe she could as well. She knew that she didn't have much experience, but the Doctor had had to touch her mind once before.

The adventure had been dangerous, and they had been lost in the woods, in the pitch black. They could use the darkness to hide them from the Rained, but if they spoke they would be found. The only way he could guide her through the darkness, was to speak into her mind.

If he could do that, and she was able to speak back, that must mean that the potential was there. She could work with potential, she was good with potential.

She thought of being free, and swam out, but she was still stuck. She could hear movement, not too far away, and she thought harder. She had to get to the Doctor. She had to find him, and they needed to get out of here. She had no intention of just lying there and letting them kill her to please gods that didn't exist.

She wouldn't argue with them about their beliefs, but that didn't mean she thought that she should be included in them. Especially when it came to her dying, she would rather just skip out.

She felt it when it snapped, she was free, but there was no longer any bubble. When she broke the hold on her body, she broke the connection to the necklace. She held her breath. She was free, but she had no air.

They had planned this well, she had to give them that. The only way to get free, in turn trapped her there. Well, they didn't know her. If she was going to die, this was going to be on her own terms. If that happened to be searching for the Doctor, than that was how it would be.

She swam out, not sure where she was going, but seeking out the feeling that had accompanied his comforting voice in the darkness.

DW

The Doctor awoke alone, and he was annoyed. No, that was too kind of a word for what he was right now. They had taken Rose, the woman he…well, loved. She didn't know, he didn't think that he had any right to tell her, but that didn't change how he felt.

They thought that they were going to sacrifice her, but they didn't know him well enough. He wasn't going to let harm happen to her, not if there was something he could do to prevent it. He had promised, not out loud, but a promise all the same, that he would always try to take care of her.

For his Rose, he would do just about anything, including leaving this building with no oxygen to find her. They had taken his tank, and he didn't know where it was, but he had a little time with his by pass. If he could find her, get some air, he could use it again.

It was hard using it more than once in a short amount of time, but the discomfort would be small compared to the hole that would be ripped through him if something happened to her.

He thought that they only used virgins for these sorts of things, but maybe they didn't know that Rose wasn't. Well, he wasn't sure that she wasn't, it wasn't as if they had discussed it, exactly. He just assumed that she wasn't, and judging by the hormones he smelled from time to time she didn't want to be if she was.

No, it wasn't something they spoke of, but sometimes, oh, he would love to. She couldn't think of him like that, though, even if he sometimes thought he caught something that resembled affection in her eyes. He wouldn't let her love him, not like he wanted, not like she might want. Because this wasn't going to last, and when it fell apart he didn't want her to have to hurt like he was going to.

When he lost Rose he wasn't going to be this man, he was certain. He thought the darkness, that she had pushed away, might reemerge. It broke his hearts to think that, but he couldn't imagine that it was really gone. He wasn't that lucky.

He sighed, wishing he had his sonic screwdriver. He could cut off the necklace, but as it was he was just going to have to use his physic connection to do so.

He walked to the door, ready to open it. He was ready to risk his life, for one silly little human, because she was so much more than that in the end. She was Rose, and that was all she would ever have to be for him to risk it all for her.

He opened the door, and what he saw took his breath away. Rose, her body was floating near his doorway, and she was limp. He stepped out, not bothering to think about the necklace; he let it throw up his protection. He could go just far enough to pull her to him, the bubble enclosing her now as well.

Not that it would do any good, she wasn't breathing, her chest still against his arms. He spun, rushing back through the gel, and the bubble fell as he dropped to his knees. He felt for a pulse, but there was nothing.

He had just gotten her back, he couldn't lose her now.

He tilted her head back, and pinched her nose. He took a breath and pressed his lips over her mouth. He blew the air in, watching to make sure that her chest rose. When it did, he repeated the action. With swift movements he placed his large hands over her small form and pressed against her chest.

"Come on," he demanded, feeling like he had just watched his whole world being destroyed again. "Breath Rose, breath."


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor was still trying; it hadn't been long, really. He breathed into her lungs again, refusing to give up on her- he couldn't give up on someone he loved.

He was rewarded when she took in a fragile, and oh so precious breath. He lifted her as she started to sputter, coughing up a little water, but breathing now. He rubbed her back soothingly, and when she finally settled he pulled her into his arms.

She laid her wet head against his chest, but he didn't care. She was there, and she was alive, that was all that mattered in that moment.

"Doctor?"

Her voice was a little weak but she would heal, he would make sure of that. "Yes, love?"

He didn't notice the slip at first, and when he did he found he didn't care. If she noticed, she didn't say anything about it. "Found you."

He chuckled a little. "I think I found you."

He wasn't smiling, but she couldn't see his face. He had been so terrified that he wouldn't be able to save her, but if she found joking to be a coping mechanism he wouldn't deny her. He could joke, and still be completely serious. The only difference was the emotion behind the words and if anyone was good at faking emotions it was him.

Even with Rose, maybe especially since Rose, his life was a series of mask. He would pick up the appropriate one, and wear it when needed. Sometimes it was happiness when he couldn't find an ounce of it in him, though she helped with that one quite a bit. Sometimes it was calm when his soul was a raging storm.

A lot of times around Rose, it was indifference. When he had to pretend he wanted to do anything but pull her into a tight embrace, and learn what her lips felt like beneath his.

Then there were the times he alternated pretending he didn't love her at all, and thinking that he never needed to say it because actions were enough.

She was moving, leaning back to look up at him with those caring eyes. She was probably going to ask if he was okay, thinking of him and ignoring the fact that she was almost lost forever.

He silenced the potential words with an unconscious action. He leaned in and his lips touched her softly. He lingered for a moment, savoring the softness, in awe of how they made him feel like he was alive- a hard task to accomplish since the war.

He knew he shouldn't be doing this, but she wasn't protesting. If anything she was trying to get him to deepen it, but he wouldn't, holding on to his last shred of control. Now wasn't the time for this.

He pulled back, and though she looked disappointed he thought she understood. "I have to get us out of here." He explained, trying to cover the catch in his voice. It was now time for his shelves of mask. He had to be calm and strong, and most of all indifferent, because he couldn't get her out of here if all he wanted to do was kiss her again.

He closed his eyes, knowing he could break the connection to the necklace, but that wasn't all he wanted to do. He wanted to get it off of him, he wouldn't need it to get them to the surface, and give it to her. Of course that meant he would have to program it to do the bubble but not to bind her there. He could do it easily with the sonic, but that was in the TARDIS. It didn't particular enjoy salt water, he had found.

He felt it release his skin, and he opened his eyes, pulling it into his hands. It was a thick, really quite basic psychic depressor with a few bonus features. Early days for equipment like this, but effective all the same.

He reached out to put it on her, and she looked at him like he was crazy. She probably wasn't all wrong there.

"I can adjust it," he told her, sounding confident, but it was only a guess. He had no idea if he could, but if he couldn't he would figure something else out. He had to lie, to pretend, it was how he made people trust him.

Trust was so important if someone was going to travel with him. Trust was what kept both of them alive, so he would always do what he had to do to keep it.

She let him put it on, and he tried to ignore the small shiver she released when his fingertips brushed bare back. Such a simple action could cause such a reaction; he couldn't let himself think any farther about that at the moment.

It was actually easier than he imagined, of course he was a genius. He made the small adjustments, letting himself stand that close to her for a moment longer than needed before he forced himself to move. He didn't offer to explain, just let his blue eyes capture hers. She nodded, completely willing to let him do what was needed. That was his Rose.

He opened the door, pulling in a lung full of air to help him stave off the use of bypass, and pulled her through the gel. He had no protection now, so he felt the water surround him, all except his arm and hand that were inside of the bubble that surrounded Rose. He pulled her up to the surface, glad to see that it actually worked when she was pulled away from the building.

They were about halfway there when he ran out of oxygen and he frowned when his bypass kicked in, but pushed on. It wasn't the most pleasant thing, and he had just used it so recently. Still, needs must, and he was glad that she was in tow. She couldn't kick or help because of the bubble but her body was light and the journey wasn't hard.

He could feel the sensation of being watched, but he kept going. He wasn't going to let them take her back. He felt the touch rather than saw it, on his bare ankle. His mind didn't get fuzzy though, it seemed his arm connected to hers in the bubble was protection from their touch. They tried again, but he felt it when they gave up. They really weren't a violent race, and they wouldn't kill them to stop them.

He could feel their anger, just brushing his mind, but then they were at the surface again. He could make out the shore, see the blue of his beloved TARDIS, and he smiled at Rose. She was getting wet now that the bubble had faded, and her blond was dark with water. She looked so beautiful.

He pulled her into his arms, kissed her forehead and reassured himself that she was okay. They were back where all this started. He pulled her to the shore, her walking when she was able to touch. It was only when they were on dry land that he was able to relax. The Trout couldn't leave the water.

He pulled her into the TARDIS and sent her to change first. He would give her a quick scan in the med bay, give himself a shot of vitamins to help ward of the exhaustion from the bypass use and then they needed to talk. He might have been scared, but he didn't think he could go on wearing so many masks. It was making him into a man he didn't want to be, and if he wasn't honest with Rose about how he felt, maybe he could break a few of them.

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor sat while Rose changed, and showered, and he used the TARDIS to stop those psychic depressors from working. He didn't want to destroy their society, but he also couldn't have them grabbing someone else to sacrifice to their gods.

He was now in the library, waiting, but he couldn't claim it was patiently. He wanted-needed to talk to Rose, but equally important at this moment was to see her, and touch her. He needed the reminder that she was alive, even if he knew it was true.

When she finally made her appearance in the library, her wet hair hung down to her shoulders. Her face was free of makeup and she looked so young, and so beautiful like that. It made him wish that she would never try to cover up herself, she needed no improvement.

"Doctor?"

She moved closer to him, and he could smell her shampoo. He had to take a couple of deep breaths to control his body, and he smiled at her.

"Rose," he stood, scooting over on the couch so she could sit where he had just been.

She took the offered space, and he tried to get the words to come. Any words really, because she was staring at him. If he didn't start talking she would, and he didn't want to miss this chance.

"Rose," he repeated, hating that he didn't seem to be able to get farther than her name. Although it had become one of his favorite words in the universe, and he knew a lot of words, so that said something.

"Doctor," she repeated, with a soft smile.

Did she know when she tilted her head down like that, and looked up he almost kissed her? Every time.

"Rose, I-" Why did this have to be so hard, just to tell her that he loved her, that she was the reason he fought on.

"Are you mad at me?" she blurted out, looking nervous.

What did she think that for? Did she think that was what he was struggling to say?

"No," he reached out to touch her cheek gently. She leaned into his touch, and it gave him courage. "No, Rose. In fact, I'm probably the farthest thing from mad."

She waited, watching him expectantly. There was that damn head tilt again, brown eyes pulling him into their orbit and for the first time he let his mind just fade. He pulled her to him; gently tilting her head up to let her lips find their place on his.

He was afraid that she might resist, but she didn't. She reached around, pulling him closer, and he let her. This might be the stupidest thing he had ever done, but he found that he didn't care. He was tired of being careful, of keeping a watch on all the things that would break his hearst in the end.

As she slipped her tongue in to discover his mouth, he knew that it was time. Time to love her without caution; time to see what could be if he would just let it be.

It was time for the last Lord of Time to realize that just because you know the end, doesn't mean it has to spoil the journey.

They were going to lose each other, but what about every day in between. Whether that was one or thousands, he couldn't say.

Was it going to be better in that moment if he didn't let this happen? No, he didn't think so.

He pulled back, "I love you, Rose Tyler."

She smiled up at him, "I love you too, Doctor."

Yes, he decided, he could be stupid, if it meant that he got to be happy. And he was so happy.

He pulled her to standing, and led her out of the library gently. No more wasted time, he was taking the mask down, and with her help he was going to break as many as he could.

A little human, one tiny little life. One single heart, and one little mind, but she had captured him. She had taken a man who was nothing but broken, and offered him the chance to be whole again.

All he had to give her was all of him in return.

They found a bedroom, neither his nor hers, on purpose. Theirs.

He didn't miss that it was still decorated in a way Rose would like, but he wasn't surprised, and he wasn't bothered. She was light to him, and he had always loved her room because it reflected that.

Now their room did to.

He gave her every chance to stop this, but never once did she try. And hours later, with her head laying over his double heartbeat he felt like a person again.

She had come into his life, and taken the chaos and gave it purpose.

He kissed her sleeping head, and closed his eyes, thinking off a million things he wanted to show her. A million things he wanted to tell her, and none of those things would he hold back now.

She gave him a home; he would give her the universe back.


End file.
